dandruff!

[funky]

I have a cocker girl who is just over a year old. Rencently I have noticed that when I brush her there is dry skin, like dandruff mostly round her rump area and back. Her coat is in good condition and not dry. Prior to this she has been fine. She has had one season and should if she is on time come into season again in December. I don't bathe her on a regular basis, but I did give her one yesterday to try and get rid of some of the loose skin, it has helped a bit but it is still there. Does anyone have any advice, information, help as regards this.                    

[Jane S]

Hi Lindsay

Dry scurfy skin isn't uncommon - it could be diet-related or maybe a reaction to the house being warmer & drier than usual (if you have put your heating on for instance) I would bath her either in tea tree oil shampoo which is very good for dandruff or you can get special shampoos for dry skin from pet stores eg Exmarid. You could also try supplementing with Evening Primrose Oil or Starflower Oil, at least 1000mg a day.

HTH

Jane                    

[FionaM]

Hi Lindsay

My Poppy was in kennels while we were on holiday a few months ago and when we got back she had loads of dandruff on her back and rump just like you described. The kennels suggested rubbing vegetable oil on her but I didn't really like the sound of that and then Jane S suggested a bath with Tea-Tree Oil shampoo (from a healthfood shop) and giving her one capsule of Evening Primrose Oil a day would help dry skin. Within a few days her dandruff had disappeared (thankyou Jane  ).

It has reurned once since then and out came the tea-tree oil shampoo again and it cleared up really quickly.

I bath her every 1 - 2 weeks and every 3rd or 4th bath use tea-tree oil shampoo to try to prevent it coming back. I am still giving her EPO every day to try to keep her coat in good condition.

HTH

Fiona

(Hee hee!! think Jane and I were posting at the same time  )                    

[funky]

thanks for that information. Come to think of it the heating went on about the same time as the dandruff began appearing! I will try your suggestions, hopefully they will do the trick, it's not very ladylike having dandruff                    

[Gilly]

Just make sure she doesn't wear black Lindsay                    

[funky]

she has been known to don a black wig and make on she is Cher!                    

[funky]

Megan has now been on EPO 1000mg per day for just under a week.
She has however developed loose stools. Is this normal until she gets used to the oil or would you suggest that I stop it altogether?                    

[Jane S]

I've never seen that reaction to EPO before Lindsay but to make sure it is the EPO, stop giving the capsules & see if Megan returns to normal. If she does, then try the EPO again, but this time cut the capsule open & put the oil directly on her food - maybe her tum is sensitive to the gelatine the capsules are made of. If the same thing happens again, then try Starflower Oil & see if she is any better on that                    

[angelad]

Cooper suffered with a similar problem until I tried the Tea tree oil shampoo made by exmarid & there is a cream made by the same people - brilliant stuff (thanks Jane).

I know the vets in Buckie sells it Lindsay but I'm not sure about Banff (vets or pet shop)

HTH
Angela & Cooper                    

[funky]

Hi,
I have been cutting the capsules open and just squeezing out the oil straight onto her food. She does tend to have a sensitive tum. Pigs ears make her sick, so only boring chewies for her! I didn't give her any epo yesterday or today and I will wait till she returns to normal and maybe try her again. I have managed to get tea tree dog shampoo made by Thursday Plantation, a company in Australia!! over the internet, they seems to specialise in tea tree products. It arrived today, so guess what I will be doing over the weekend?                    

[angelad]

Thats great Lindsay - don't suppose you could let me have the URL could you                    

[Jane S]

They sell Thursday Plantation Tea Tree oil products in Boots & Holland & Barrett down here - maybe they haven't got as far North as Scotland yet                    

[angelad]

Thats a distinct possibility Jane, it does take a while